


Magic Actually

by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Butterflies, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, Fluffy Ending, Getting Together, M/M, Merlin Has Magic (Merlin), Romantic Fluff, Short & Sweet, So sweet it’ll hurt your teeth, Temporary Injury to a Bird, baby bird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:47:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26805343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Emrys%20MK
Summary: Merlin is imbued with powerful magic, but he and Arthur discover that the magic surrounding them is every bit as important, perhaps more so.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 87





	Magic Actually

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer** : Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Merlin leant against the doorway of the greenhouse and watched Arthur’s face as the butterflies flew around him. There were so many, each of them different colours, some large, others small, all beautiful. And not a one of them had magic.

But they were magic.

Magic was everywhere.

One of them landed on Arthur’s head. Merlin giggled as he slowly walked towards his husband. “They love you, just like I do.” 

Arthur nodded, looking much too serious as he watched a butterfly land on Merlin’s outstretched hand. “You know I’m not one to put much stock in fate and destiny, but do you ever stop and think about what would have happened if that bird hadn’t had the misfortune to run into your front door all those years ago?”

As the butterfly took flight, Merlin followed its path for several seconds before returning his attention to Arthur. Imagining what life without Arthur would be like was unthinkable. He shook his head and covertly wiped at an unshed tear, but another followed and he was grateful when Arthur’s thumb wiped it away. “Not once, because the idea of you not being in my life makes me too sad.” So sad that just thinking about it made Merlin want to sob. If he ever lost Arthur…

Arthur pulled Merlin into a hug and whispered something in his ear. It wasn’t discernable because it had been said so softly, but Merlin knew. He would always know. “Happy anniversary, my love,” Arthur added, his voice still soft, but loud enough to be understood.

“Happy anniversary, Arthur.” Merlin closed his eyes as he rested his head on Arthur’s shoulder and his memories took him back fifteen years, to another time and place, one that had shown him appearances were not always what they seemed, and that if you just waited and were not impatient, perhaps things would work out…

**Fifteen Years Earlier**

“Did you hear that? Sounds like something fell.” Merlin set down his laptop and looked around, but when he was satisfied that nothing in his room appeared different than it had before, he stood to go investigate. Why was it that these things always seemed to happen when his mother wasn’t home? “Maybe one of the ceiling tiles fell in the kitchen.” He sighed, hoping that wasn’t the case, but he had a bad feeling as he watched Arthur stand and stretch, no doubt doing his best to wake up from his impromptu nap. Merlin rolled his eyes and had to bite his lip to keep from making an impolite comment about star footie players thinking they were too good to study.

So much for helping Arthur with his maths.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Arthur said, making a face as he continued stretching, his shirt revealing a flat abdomen and an enticing line of golden hair that led to places Merlin best not think about.

“No, you wouldn’t have, would you, what with you sleeping and all.” Merlin sighed dramatically, perturbed. “And don’t tell me you finished the homework because I know you didn’t.” Merlin glared. Why he had agreed to this arrangement, he had no idea. Well, yes, he did. It was all his mother’s fault. It was a _favour to an old friend_ of hers. He would be _compensated for it_. He might even get a _summer internship_ out of it, one that most anyone would pay good money for. 

_You will not regret this, Merlin,_ his mother had said.

Oh, but Merlin did regret this. Every single second of it. Instead of being outside, enjoying his weekend and watching his caterpillars as they went through metamorphosis and turned into beautiful butterflies, he was stuck inside, helping Arthur Pendragon with geometry.

“Well aren’t you the stuck up little nerd, Emrys,” retorted Arthur, anger in his voice. “How the hell do you know what I have or haven’t done?” he asked as he threw the notebook he was holding onto the floor and stared at it, looking hurt. “I could have finished it. I did listen to you earlier when you told me how to do the equations, but I got stuck on number seven. I wanted to ask you to help me figure it out but you looked busy so I decided not to interrupt.” Arthur returned his attention to Merlin and stared at him, his bottom lip sticking out. 

Merlin swallowed. He should ask for more money. Dealing with pretty footie players who pouted had not been part of the deal. “Look, I’m sorry, Arthur. You’re right. I had no right to make assumptions, but your father is paying me good money to help you. I know that means little to you because I am sure you think money grows on Pendragon trees, but every extra dollar I can make and give to my mum to help with expenses helps and I refuse to take money when I have done nothing to deserve it. So if you are going to continue wasting my time, don’t. I’m here to help you. If you have a question, you need to ask me. Contrary to what others might say about me, I cannot read minds.” 

Arthur nodded before saluting. “Aye aye, sir! No magic. Right. Wouldn’t want others to think you were cheating. So let’s go see what fell then we can get back to it and you can help me with these differential geometry equations.” A cheeky grin followed.

Part of Merlin (most of him) wanted to ask Arthur to leave, but he didn’t. Perhaps he had been a bit too harsh, and maybe he shouldn’t have smarted off about his magic. It wasn’t Arthur’s fault that others thought one should use magic to make life easier if they had it. “Yeah, we can do that. That bad storm the other day caused a leak in our kitchen. I’m almost afraid to go look. The last thing Mum needs to worry about is a hole in the ceiling.”

He and Arthur made their way through the hall, looking towards the ceiling to see if anything had fallen. Everything looked fine. When they reached the kitchen door, Merlin apprehensively opened it and looked inside where the leak was, but nothing appeared different than it had before. “Hm, good to know we don’t need a new ceiling or roof right now, but I know I heard something.”

Arthur turned to walk back down the hall, leaving a curious Merlin standing in the doorway, trying to figure out where that sound had come from. “Er, Merlin?” Arthur said a few seconds later.

“Huh?” Merlin turned around and looked to where Arthur’s focus was.

“You don’t think a bird could have flown into the door, do you?” 

Merlin watched as Arthur walked towards the front door. How had he come to that conclusion? But it was as good a guess as any. “I hope not,” he replied, thinking that flying into a glass door would be a really harsh way for a bird to die. He followed Arthur and, once at the door, he looked to the right, hoping he wasn’t about to see feathers strewn across the flowerbeds that were his mother’s second pride and joy.

Fortunately, there was nothing unusual there, just roses and a Bird of Paradise, but when he heard Arthur gasp, he really didn’t want to turn to look.

But he did.

And he saw the cutest little bird lying on the ground, his forehead red, beautiful black and white feathers covering his motionless body. Merlin’s heart fell, thinking it was dead.

“It’s a baby red-headed woodpecker, ”Arthur said, awe in his voice as he knelt down to examine it closer. 

“Is it dead?” Merlin asked, afraid of the answer.

“I don’t think so. His eye is open. If he flew into the door maybe he can’t fly anymore.” Arthur ran one of his fingers down the bird’s head and back but pulled back. “Maybe I shouldn’t have touched it. What if its mother shuns it now?” He looked at Merlin.

“I think it’s fine.” Merlin had no idea if touching the bird was fine or not, but the look on Arthur’s face, and the gentleness he was displaying was endearing as hell and there was no way Merlin was ruining that. “Should we bring it inside?” The thought of leaving it outside all alone didn’t seem right to him. The bird couldn’t be very old; perhaps this had been its first flight. 

“Maybe. Not sure. I think my sister mentioned something recently about someone locally who rehabilitates birds. Let me go look and see if I can find anything.”

Arthur stood and made his way back into Merlin’s bedroom. Merlin stayed where he was, watching the tiny bird, whose head was now moving. Not much, but at least it was something. Merlin thought it was probably scared. 

He said a little prayer that it would be okay before he went to join Arthur, hopeful that they could find something. He looked over Arthur’s right shoulder, grinning. When the day started he had been irritable, thinking that his day would be wasted, but now, watching Arthur look up information about birds, Merlin decided that he wouldn’t have wanted to miss this. Yes, he felt bad for the bird – poor thing must have concussed itself pretty badly when it hit the glass – but to witness this side of Arthur had been a revelation that Merlin would not have wanted to miss. There was more to Pendragon than a spoiled footie star after all. Merlin had thought there probably was.

Arthur swore. “They’re closed today.”

Merlin squeezed Arthur’s shoulder. “Thanks for looking.” He left the room and returned to the front door, but just as he reached it, the tiny bird took off and was soon out of sight. “He’s okay, Arthur. He flew away.” Merlin turned to see Arthur leaning against the door of the bedroom, staring at him intently, his arms crossed. “What?”

“I was furious with my father when he told me you would be tutoring me. I told him I didn’t need your help. I still hate geometry and can pretty much tell you now that I am a lost cause when it comes to maths, but that… watching the bird fly away was beautiful.”

Merlin grinned. “Ready to get back to the geometry?”

**Present Day**

“Your stuck up nerd loves you, too,” Merlin whispered in Arthur’s ear.

**Author's Note:**

> A bird really did fly into the lobby door where I work. As in the story, it was merely stunned and flew away about thirty minutes after it hit the door. 
> 
> And Merlin's watching the caterpillars as they turn into butterflies is based on my uncle's newest endeavour - he recently acquired a butterfly house and sends me regular updates/pictures about the stages they are in and when they fly away.


End file.
